


Between The Lines Of Fear And Pain

by ConsiderableColors



Series: ANGST [2]
Category: Spring Awakening - Sheik/Sater
Genre: (breaking an arm), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bruises, Burns, Child Abuse, Cigarettes, Cuts, Dear Evan Hansen References, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Hospitals, Injury, M/M, Melchior's a dick, Modern Era, Moritz is dead, Panic Attacks, Suicide, short but it's there, so nothing new
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 05:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13047636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsiderableColors/pseuds/ConsiderableColors
Summary: "I was just... Thinking. About Moritz."Wendla's face fell. "Oh. I'm sorry."~~~Or, Melchior realizes Moritz was being abused. (Modern au.) (Title & chapter titles taken from How To Save A Life - The Fray.)





	Between The Lines Of Fear And Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Whoops have some angst

"Hey Melchi?"

"Yes?"

"You see the bear?"

Melchior rolled over, staring at Moritz questioningly.

"...No?"

Moritz rolled his eyes. "Not an actual bear. Just... Look." He pointed up at the sky.

"I still don't see it."

"That cloud. Right there. It looks like a bear."

"I guess?"

Moritz huffed, though he was smiling. "You're no fun."

"I'm fun." Melchior protested.

"Nuh-uh."

"I am!"

"Prove it."

Melchior frowned, before standing up. Moritz looked at him curiously.

"Well? Are you coming?" 

"What?"

"You told me to prove I was fun, and I am going to."

Moritz looked hesitant.

"Come on, Moritz. Have I ever lead you astray?"

"On multiple occasions."

"Shut up."

Moritz laughed, standing up and joining Melchior.

~~~

"Melchior?"

He looked up at Ernst. "Sorry, what did you say?"

They were at a small cafe in town for their weekly meet up.

"He's dozing off again..." Thea muttered. Melchior shot her a glare.

"What? You are."

"I asked if you were joining us tonight." Ernst repeated.

"Right. The party. I forgot."

"How?" Hanschen asked. "Ilse's been planning it for months now."

"I'm not sure I'll go. You know social gatherings aren't my forte."

"Oh come on, Melchior!" Anna begged. "It'll just be us!"

"Alright, alright. I guess I'll be there."

Otto turned to Martha. "So what were you saying?"

As Martha began speaking, Melchior found himself to not be listening.

~~~

"Melchi, what on earth are we doing here?"

The two were standing outside an old, abandoned orchard.

"Don't tell me you don't remember this place?"

"Of course I do! But I also remember it closed ages ago."

Melchior smirked, bending down and slipping through the fence.

"Melchior, when I said 'fun', I didn't mean breaking and entering."

"I doubt anyone will care."

"I'm surprised you don't."

"You shouldn't be. I'm Melchior Gabor, local bad boy."

Moritz snorted. "Ah yes, you're the definition of edgy."

"You wound me."

Moritz smiled a minute, then abruptly grabbed Melchior's hand.

"Melchi! Let's climb that tree!"

Melchior looked skeptical. "Have you ever even climbed a tree?"

"No, but I can figure it out!" Moritz insisted.

"Really?"

"Pleeeeeeeease!"

"Moritz-"

"PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!"

"...Fine."

Moritz grinned and began to climb, Melchior swiftly following after him.

"How are you better than me at this? Especially when this is you're first time!"

Moritz shrugged, then stopped. "Woah." He whispered. "Look at this view!"

Melchior looked out, humming in appreciation. "Yeah."

Moritz reached for another branch but missed. His foot slipped and he began to fall.

"MORITZ!"

~~~

"Ready for your check?" The server asked.

"I'll pay." Georg offered.

Everyone chimed in, protesting, but Georg waved them aside.

"It's fine, really."

The server was quick to bring the check back.

"Alright!" Ilse declared. "See you guys tonight! If any of you ditch-" She glared at Melchior, "You'll feel my wrath."

"Got it." Everyone walked off but two.

"Melchior?" Wendla asked. "Can I talk to you a moment?"

He nodded.

"Are you... Okay?"

"Of course." Melchior said promptly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just- you seem distant."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Melchior, you can tell me. Please."

Melchior hesitated, before admitting defeat. "I was merely... Thinking. About Moritz."

Wendla's face fell. "Oh. I'm sorry," She said, voice full of sympathy.

"It... It doesn't matter. It's been months now."

"Yes, but. You're allowed to feel sad."

"Well, I don't. It's been great catching up, but I really need to get going."

"Oh." Wendla sounded sad. "Alright."

Melchior turned to go, but stopped when Wendla called his name.

"You'll text me if you need me, won't you?" She asked.

"Of course." Melchior left.

~~~

"Moritz! Are you alright?" He knelt down beside Moritz, who groaned.

"Everything hurts. I think I'm dying."

"I'll drive you to the hospital. Come on." He hoisted Moritz up, wrapping an arm around him to be sure he didn't fall.

Moritz sank into Melchior's grip. "I-I gotta admit. That w-was fun, Melchi. I love b-breaking my a-arm." He gasped.

~~

"Hey baby." Frau Gabor greeted. "How was lunch?"

"Fine." Melchior mumbled.

~~~

Moritz's arm was covered in bruises the minute he rolled up his sleeve. It shouldn't have been weird, but the look the doctor was giving them made it seem like something much worse.

"Some of these look less than recent." The doctor looked up at her patient. "Do you fall often?"

Moritz looked immediately anxious. "Yeah, I uh, f-fall a lot."

The doctor frowned, but didn't say anything.

Neither did Melchior.

~~~

"Hey Momma?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when Moritz broke his arm?"

Frau Gabor nodded. "He fell out of a tree, didn't he? Poor boy was banged up terribly."

Melchior nodded. "Right, but what if... He didn't just get those cuts and bruises from falling?"

"Where else would he have gotten them?"

Melchior swallowed heavily. "I-I don't know."

But that was weird. He ALWAYS knew. Didn't he?

His mother placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, baby?"

"I'm fine."

~~~ 

There was a cigarette burn on Moritz's arm. Actually, three.

"You smoke?" The doctor asked.

Moritz nodded, sweating profusely.

"You really ought to be more careful, Moritz." Melchior commented offhandedly, flipping through a magazine.

"Do you feel safe at home?"

Moritz looked up at the doctor. "Yeah." 

He sounded anxious. Melchior wasn't sure if he looked anxious. He hadn't even looked up.

*Why hadn't he looked? Why hadn't he tried harder, or noticed anything? Surely Moritz wasn't... He hadn't been... Had he...?*

Melchior desperately wracked his mind for more.

~~~

"I hate my dad."

Melchior turned. "Everyone hates their parents. It's a normal part of adolescent angst."

"He screamed his head off at me last night."

"All parents yell."

"Yeah. I guess."

And that was that. Moritz never brought up his father again, except in passing. When he did, it was always met with a grimace.  
~~~

"Oh my God."

"Melchior? What's wrong? You look ill."

*It had been so OBVIOUS!*

~~~

"Moritz?" Otto asked. "What happened to your cheek?"

"I, uh, ran into a door."

Moritz ducked his head. At the time, Melchior assumed he was embarrassed. Had he really been afraid?

~~~

"Momma?"

*I didn't even ask if he was alright. I never did. I never cared.*

"I think I killed Moritz."

"Oh, baby... No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

~~~

"Why are you buying concealer?"

"Momma needs more."

"Oh." Melchior replied, not realizing that his friend was limping.

~~~

"Moritz was being abused. I- I'm- I didn't- Momma, how did I not know?!"

He couldn't even hear himself think. Did he always breathe this fast?

~~~

"What time is it?" Moritz asked in the middle of their study session.

"7:15. Why?" 

There was a sound of books dropping. Melchior looked up to see Moritz, white as a sheet. Were his hands shaking?

"I-I have to g-go!"

Moritz ran out the door without another word.

~~~

*OBLIVIOUS. He was so OBLIVIOUS!*

"I-I... Oh my G-God..." Melchior stumbled back, grabbing onto the chair behind him. Frau Gabor approached him cautiously.

"I-I... I d-didn't..."

~~~

Chatroom: The Hanschen Squaaaad

Melchior: Have you guys seen Moritz? He won't answer my texts.

Wendla: Didn't you hear what happened?

Ernst: Moritz took his own life.

Martha: Melchior?

~~~

The world was spinning. Or maybe it was falling apart. Melchior couldn't tell. Perhaps the world had stopped all together?

His mother was saying something.

He didn't know what.

Melchior could feel himself falling.

Everything went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Oopsie hope you enjoyed the suffering


End file.
